


In an Instant

by EmpyreanSun



Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Black Widow (Comics), Hawkeye (Comics), Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/M, Romance, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-08
Updated: 2012-10-08
Packaged: 2017-11-15 22:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/532239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmpyreanSun/pseuds/EmpyreanSun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha receives a stunning revelation of what it would be like to lose Clint, and long-buried feelings come to light as a result of this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In an Instant

She’s sitting at the grand piano stool in their spacious front room. Nobody plays it, but it makes a good spot to sit and observe the whole room from. That’s why Clint liked it anyway.

One eye is on the two vibrant red-haired toddlers sitting playing in the centre of the wooden floor. The other is on the clock. He’s forty eight minutes late now and it’s beginning to make her feel uncomfortable. Clint is always strictly punctual. He’s never once been late back from work. Not once. 

Irritated by her own seeping nervousness, Natasha rises from the stool, tucking a stray piece of scarlett hair behind her ear. She ruffles both heads as she passes and tells them she’ll be right back.

She boils the kettle and makes a black coffee, harsh and bitter, just as she likes it. As she moves back into the front room, the doorbell rings.

Her head darts up, pupils contracting. Clint wouldn’t ring the doorbell. He has keys. He always lets himself in singing or calling something out. Her heartbeat quickens as she moves through into the hall, but she smiles at the children, telling them to carry on playing.

Gripping the doorhandle is like gripping the handle of a gun, though she’s not sure where the comparison has come from, the touch is oddly cold and familiar.

As soon as she sees the uniform her face changes.

A policeman. Composure lost.

“Mrs Barton?”

“No. You can’t be here to tell me what you’re about to tell me.”

The pitying look in his eyes tells her he can.

“I’m so sorry, but your husband’s been involved in an accident. The jet he was flying malfunctioned and went down. He was killed instantly.”

Instantly.

Instantly the coffee cup falls from her hand.

Instantly her lip trembles without her consent.

Instantly the policeman reaches out a steadying arm.

Instantly the cup smashes with a scream against the floor.

Instantly.

She is awake.

Eyes flitting across the room, she darts up in bed and draws the gun out from behind her pillow in one lithe, feline movement.

Natasha checks her room, before combing the entire floor. Stark Tower lies still and peaceful.

She rarely dreams, and when she does it’s of old foes or adventurous gunmen that need taking down.

This is so new and so real it shocks her.

Her bare feet pad softly to the stairs and descend down them one floor. Jarvis recognises her profile and no alarms begin to blare. Though she wouldn’t admit it to him, Tony’s system is ideal.

She seems Clint immediately standing at the glass windows that cover half of one wall. He’s standing in just his pjyama bottoms next to an open pane of glass. The slight breeze ruffles his hair and makes her shiver almost imperceptibly.

Clint sees the movement and whips around drawing a knife from one of the pockets. He relaxes as soon as he sees her standing in there in a black nightie.

“Tasha…you couldn’t sleep either?”

“I could but it didn’t last.”

She joins him at the window, their bodies so close they’re very nearly touching.

“I really have to stop drinking coffee before bed.” He sighs with a chuckle.

“I thought Hawks were nocturnal?”

“Yeah, well this one needs more than three hours a night. I only need to become nocturnal if the enemy becomes nocturnal.”

“Well then for the most part I think you’re fine.”

He turns to study her as she looks out across the city.

“Why didn’t it last?”

He missed nothing of what she’d said.

“I had an ultimatum in the form of a dream.”

“What was it about?”

“You actually.”

He gives a small smile, eyes never leaving her face.

“Your subconscious obviously needed a little time to take to heart what I said the other night.”

“Actually I think it went straight there.” She replies turning the full force of her blue gaze on him.

Their eyes lock and he moves indiscriminitely closer. They’re almost in each other’s arms.

“I meant every word.” He murmurs, voice quiet. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”

He pulls her to him, holding her gently but with a firm serious that reflects his next words.

“Natasha… you’re everything to me.”

It’s whispered, so she returns with a whisper, “As you are to me.”

He looks surprised for a moment so she clarifies, “The other night when you told me, I was thinking as part of the team. As an Avenger who thought these feelings would compromise our effectiveness. Then I realised how much less effective I’d be if I lost you. How much less… everything I’d be. Sometimes I think you’re the only one that keeps me human… and the only one that understands. Perhaps that’s why you’re the only one I could ever be with.”

Clint pauses for a moment, just taking her in.

“How long have you known?”

“Probably since Budapest. And you?”

“I’d say since the first time we talked after I saved your life.” He chuckled, “We’ve both known for so long, but never confessed till now.”

“We’re spies Clint, our feelings have to be boxed away somewhere where they can’t become our downfall.”

“Not anymore.” His face had taken on a determined quality. “Things are different now. On this team, emotion means you care, and caring is what makes us strong. We don’t have to hide who we really are here, and that means we don’t have to hide how we feel. Look at Tony and Pepper. Thor and Jane. They’re accepted as individuals, and together. We’d be no different. Besides” he added, “on some level I think they already know.”

Natasha raised a sceptical eyebrow at him.

“Tony is a genius after all,” the archer continued, “and Steve is very astute about these things.”

“Them accepting us doesn’t worry me, it’s the fact that it took me so long to work out what I wanted.”

“I’d hardly call two nights ‘long’.”

“No I mean all these years we’ve known each other.”

“We were very different when we first met. As much as you deny it, you don’t really believe that love is for children anymore. Perhaps we needed to become the people we are now for this to work.”

“Did you read that from a book?”

“I’m serious Nat, I’m in love with you. I always have been.”

He said it in such a fiercely protective manner that for a moment she could only stare at his eyes. Then she took his face in her hands.

“No more hiding how we feel. The box is open. I love you Clint.”

Her eyes travelled downwards from his and came to rest on his lips. They both learned in and years of feelings exploded into an electric kiss.

Fin.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a drabble that spiralled out of control.  
> Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a comment and let me know if you did. :)


End file.
